6 Ways to Improve Your Spoken English

September 20, 2018

Learning a language is one thing, but applying it to daily life is another; you may find writing, reading and speaking English in strict circumstances a lot easier than out in the spontaneous, real world. We have comprised a list of fun and easy tips that can help improve your spoken English and communication skills.

WATCH ENGLISH TV AND FILMS

Entertain yourself whilst improving your spoken English by watching English speaking TV programmes and films. Listen and repeat phrases and sentences, as well as matching the tone and speed to practice. If you need extra guidance, turn the subtitles on and pay attention to the pronunciation and develop your fluency.

READ OUT LOUD

By reading a book or a newspaper out loud, the structure and the grammar will already be correct so you only have to focus on your spoken English. Start off with children’s books if you are a beginner, but if you feel more advanced, move onto magazines and newspapers. If you find words you are unsure of, take a note of them and research them after.

SURROUND YOURSELF WITH NATIVE SPEAKERS

Find a way to make friends with native English speakers, or find opportunities to put your speaking skills into use in public, so you are forced to speak the English language. Most people will understand you if you make any mistakes and will help you out if you get stuck.

RECORD YOURSELF SPEAKING

By recording yourself on your smartphone or other recording device, you will be able to hear yourself speaking English and help find where you need to improve. Whether it is your pronunciation, fluency or your accent that needs development, by keeping this on record you can document your progress and build your confidence in your spoken English.

THINK TO YOURSELF IN ENGLISH

Try to stop thinking in your native language and gradually try to think in English instead. This way, you will save time by not translating from your native language into English, and speak it more naturally. It’s not as easy as you think, so start off small and think about little things in English, like what you need to get from the shop or what you want to wear.

RELAX

Don’t jump all in and put too much pressure on yourself to speak English, take your time and relax. Try to worry less about making mistakes, just take a deep breath and start again, maybe taking a slower pace. Make yourself feel more comfortable speaking English, then the rest will follow.